National Human Rights Committee: IFHR & NHRC URGED TO REVIEW PROGRESS OF RELEVANT LEGALIZATION OF FOREIGN WORKERS IN THE GULF

IFHR & NHRC URGED TO REVIEW PROGRESS OF RELEVANT LEGALIZATION OF FOREIGN WORKERS IN THE GULF

DOHA: A two-day international conference organised by the Inter-national Federation of Human Rights (IFHR) in association with the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) on migrant workers held in Doha in June, called upon countries to issue national legislation for the protection of domestic workers’ rights.

Participants in the conference represented 50 human rights world organizations, including governmental and non-governmental bodies.

A final communiqué issued by the participants, urged all countries to recognise the International Day of Migration on December 18 and work to promote and protect the rights of migrants.

The communiqué also praised the role played by Qatar for hosting the conference and for organising it at an international level. The communiqué also called upon both the host and origin countries of migrant workers to address the serious problem of trafficking in humans through the adoption of legislations and establishing bodies to enforce the implementation of national policies.

The participants proposed that the Inter-national Federation of Human Rights (IFHR), the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) of Qatar and the other agencies involved review twice a year, the progress of relevant legislation and the social situation of foreign workers in the Gulf countries.

They called for campaigning for the ratification and monitoring of the implementation of various international human rights instruments.

_________________________________________________________________

NHRC STRESSES NEED FOR REGIONAL & INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION TO PROTECT RIGHTS OF MIGRANT WORKERS.

Al Marri (right) and Gabriel, Coference, opening session

Al Marri (right) and Gabriel, Coference, opening session

DOHA: NATIONAL Human Rights Committee (NHRC) secretary general Dr Ali Samikh al-Marri stressed the importance of strengthening regional and international co-operation among nations in protecting rights of migrant workers.

The statement was made by the NHRC chief as he addressed the inaugural session of the international conference on migrant workers, organised by the NHRC, at Millennium Hotel in June 2007.

The secretary general said over the past few years, Qatar had taken several steps to protect the interests of migrant workers, in particular women and children.

The session was also addressed by the vice president of International Federation of Human Rights Cynthia Gabriel who recalled that the conference on migration, recently held at the Portuguese capital of Lisbon had underlined the importance of protection for migrant workers.

Gabriel said the international federation was firmly convinced that the establishment of new platforms and networks at national, regional and international levels would be the key to address the main challenges of the time.